Motherhood Mondays is a new little series that will occur (hopefully) every Monday. While I have only been at this motherhood thing for slightly over six months and am certainly no expert in parenting, I want to share my honest musings about being a first-time mother with you. Dylan was the biggest inspiration behind Willow Journal, so it only seems fitting that I incorporate some of our adventures and lessons learned along the way into regular posts.
The first trimester can be a really intimidating time depending on how your body is handling being pregnant. For some, they are in full-on survival mode, while others are lucky enough to avoid those "first trimester" symptoms. Below are some of my first trimester favorites from when I was pregnant with Dylan.
1. Jeni's Lemon Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt: This is by far the most delicious thing I have EVER eaten (seriously). While I didn't have many cravings during my pregnancy, citrus and cold always sounded appetizing. Jeni's was such a lovely little night cap.
2. Cycling: I tried to stay as active as I could throughout the first and second trimesters. Cycling was a comfortable way for me to get some exercise in as I could control my own pace very easily. It was also nice because you usually cycle in a dark room, so no one could see the pregnant lady struggling.
3. Bravado Silk Seamless Nursing Bra: The one very obvious symptom I had in the first trimester was painful boobs. They quickly grew in size and I could no longer comfortably fit into my usual wire bras. Switching to a wireless nursing bra early on into my pregnancy kept my boobs happy and pain-free.
4. Promptly Journal: My baby book is one of my dearest treasures and I am so thankful that my mom put so much time and energy into it. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to document it for Dylan. Promptly Journals are minimal baby books that provide writing prompts, starting with pregnancy and ending at age 18.
5. Rainbow Light Prenatal Mini-Tablets: I chose Rainbow Light Mini-Tablets because they are much smaller in size than other brands. I am one of those people that always chokes on the large vitamins, so this made them more tolerable.
6. Sweatpants: Comfort is a necessity in the first trimester. Whether you are battling morning sickness or fatigue, sweatpants will always make you feel a little bit better.
7. Chilote House Shoes: These are by far one of the best pairs of slippers that I have ever owned. They are SO warm and comfortable and are hand knit by Chilean women.
8. Zoe Organics Belly Oil: While I fully believe that stretch marks are mostly genetic, there is no harm in keep your growing belly hydrated. Little known pregnancy symptom -- your belly will get incredibly itchy because the skin is stretching. Keeping your skin moisturized will help diminish the itchiness.
9. Bringing Up Bebe: Before digging into the more serious parenting books, I found it relaxing to read a fun and encouraging book on parenting. This book was definitely a favorite of mine.